In honour of World Pilots' Day, meet Michael

1. In honour of World Pilots' Day, we sat down with one of our Technical Pilots, Captain Michael, to learn about his journey and what he loves about being a Pilot.

   

   “Growing up in an aviation family I was indoctrinated into the culture at the age of four. My father was a pilot (not commercially at the time) and my mother worked for Transport Canada which was later to become NavCanada.

   I grew up in General Aviation (GA) which fueled may passion for the industry. I joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets at 12 years old and spent six years with the program where I was awarded scholarships to obtain my Glider and Private Pilot Licenses at ages 16 and 17 respectively.

   After high school I graduated from the Utah Valley University with a B.Sc. in Aeronautical Sciences.

   Becoming employed as a pilot in the industry in 2002 was quite difficult in a post 9/11 world and probably the most difficult challenge. I spent three years as a flight instructor building ‘pilot in command’ time to build a better resume eventually heading to the Canadian north where I flew charter and medevac operations for various companies on several aircraft types.

   In the summer of 2011, I joined WestJet as a first officer. Since then, I have flown over 9000 hours on the 737NG and MAX, eventually becoming a Captain and Standards Pilot in Flight Technical & Operations.

   2020 has obviously been a difficult year for the industry with lots of movement both laterally and backwards for many occupations within. I found myself at Swoop in October as a result of the myriad of position bids where I continue a role as a Technical Pilot.

   I still have a passion for general aviation. I’ve owned a personal airplane for the last five years and my family used to fly to various locations to visit family and for leisure and I have also volunteered as President for the Airdrie Flying Club. Your local flying club is a great place to hear stories and make connections!

   Having flown roughly 14,000 hours thus far I can say that flying brings a sense of freedom unlike any other. The ability to travel above our beautiful country and beyond is second to none. It’s a rewarding career that has given me the opportunity to travel, meet people, and go places I otherwise wouldn’t have. A layover in a sun destination is a nice added bonus.

   Whether you do it privately or professionally, flying is great experience I would recommend to anyone. There are multiple career paths to achieving one’s goals. Not one is the correct way. The general public typically thinks as airlines as the job of a Commercial Pilot. Medevac, Flight Instruction, Float Flying, Crop Dusting, Fire Fighting, Corporate Aviation and Ferry Pilots are just some of the many variations that may meet your fancy.

   “When I think of safety, what first comes to mind is one word. TRAINING. In addition to multiple recurrent courses, twice a year we go through rigorous simulator training covering various emergencies from engine failures on take-off to fires and pressurization issues. If it’s got a light, we have a checklist. While experience definitely helps with making decisions, it’s the training we fall back on if the situation should ever arise. Train the way you fly, fly the way you train!”